Semi-rigid hand-carry bag for storing, transporting, chilling and displaying beverages in a beverage container

ABSTRACT

A rectilinear or cylindrical hand-carry bag for storing, transporting, chilling and displaying a wine bottle or other beverage container. The bag is fabricated from a deformable, water-impermeable, polymeric material, having an inner container dimensioned to fit in the hand-carry bag and to receive the bottle and to maintain the shaped integrity when a sufficient quantity of crushed ice or ice cubes to chill the beverage is disposed between the inner walls of the bag and the outer walls of the inner container. The upper edges of the hand-carry bag and inner container have sufficient thickness of material or fasteners for retaining the shaped integrity of the cavity formed therebetween in a substantially non-collapsed state.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This applications claims priority to provisional patent application No.61/243,893, filed Sep. 18, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to bags, more particularly, to awater-impermeable bag for storing, transporting, displaying and chillinga beverage, such as wine, in a beverage container. This applicationclaims priority to provisional patent application No. 61/243,893, filedSep. 18, 2009.

2. Description of the Related Art

Ice buckets and coolers suitable for cooling or chilling beveragesstored in a container, such as wine bottles, spirits or other drinks areconventionally known in the art. For example, ice buckets are often usedto chill bottles of wine by waiters at restaurants and by consumers attheir residences. Although ice buckets and containers are typicallyaesthetically pleasing, they are not convenient for transporting,displaying, chilling and serving the wine from a bottle or otherbeverage container.

Bags which relate to the present invention include U.S. Pat. Nos.D494,853; 7,118,276; 6,890,101; 6,908,786; 5,651,254 and 4,428,484, allof which are discussed in published U.S. Patent Application 0080063318.None of the prior art discussed show or suggest all of the features ofpublished application 0080063318 ('318 publication), or the features ofthe present invention.

If the bottle in the '318 published application is removed for servingsome but not all of the beverage it contains after the crushed ice orice cubes are packed around it, there is no disclosure regarding how thebottle would be conveniently replaced back in the bag withoutinterference from collapsed crushed ice or ice cubes. Obviously, theuser could remove the ice and repack it, but at considerableinconvenience. The hand-carry bag of the present invention solves theproblem by returning the beverage container to the hand-carry bagwithout re-packing the ice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The hand-carry bag of the present invention comprises a rectilinear orcylindrical outer bag having an inner container affixed to the bottom ofthe outer bag for forming a cavity between the inner surface of theouter bag and the outer surfaces of the inner container for receivingand maintaining the shaped integrity of crushed ice or ice cubes aroundthe beverage bottle as it is removed and replaced during use. The outerbag and the inner container are constructed of essentially the sameresilient, semi-rigid, deformable, water-impermeable material. Thematerial can also be transparent, but not required. The upper edges ofboth the outer and inner bags have sufficient thickness of the materialfor retaining the opening in a substantially non-collapsed state.Handles extending from each one of the upper edges of the rectilinearpanels or from diametrical opposing edges of the cylindrical outer bagmay also be provided.

The outer bag may be formed in any number of well-known ways includingthe manner described in the '318 publication, utilizing semi-rigid butdeformable materials such as flexible polymeric material which could beselected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride and otherpolymeric materials.

While the shape of the outer bag is typically rectilinear, it could becylindrical. The shape and material used to form both the outer andinner bag of the present invention should be selected for maintaining anopen, essentially non-collapsible shape while in use, yet be deformableenough to fold or collapse for convenient storage when not in use.

The present invention is an ice bag for storing, transporting,displaying and chilling a bottle of wine, spirits or other types ofbeverages in a container. The ice bag can be utilized in various ways.For example, from the point of sale of the beverage at a retail store ordistributor to the consumption of the beverage by the consumer whiletraveling.

In addition, when a consumer purchases a bottle of wine at the liquorstore or distributor, the retailer can place the bottle in the bag ofthe present invention so that the purchasing consumer can transport thewine bottle to a particular destination. Preferably, the bag is formedas a rectangular, square or cylindrically shaped gift bag and isfabricated from a transparent or translucent material to display thebottle in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Alternatively, the bag canbe fabricated from an opaque material. Printed and/or labeledadvertising can be provided on the bag as well. From the perspective ofa retailer of the goods, the hand-carry bag of the present inventionserves to display and advertise the contents after purchase and whilethe purchaser transports the bottled wine.

In another embodiment, the hand-carry bag is constructed from awater-impermeable material, so that the cavity between the outer bag andthe inner container can be filled with ice and water to chill thebottle, as required. Accordingly, the combination of the hand-carry bagand the bottled wine can be placed on a surface top at the user's homeor other destination to display and chill the wine in a pleasing manner.The bottle can then be removed from the bag to pour the wine, and thenreturned to the bag for continued storage and temperature controlwithout the inconvenience of re-packing of crushed ice or ice cubes.Accordingly, from the perspective of the purchaser, the purchaser cantransport, display and chill the bottled wine with a single hand-carrybag and with minimal effort. Further, since the bag is shaped as a giftbag, the bottle of wine and bag can be presented as a gift to others.

Although the present invention is described in terms of retaining andchilling a bottle of wine, one skilled in the art will appreciate thatthe ice bag of the present invention can be used to retain any othertypes of bottled or canned beverages, such as soda, beer, fruit drinks,and the like. Further, the ice bag can also be used to retainnon-beverage items, such as sealed or packaged foods (e.g., fruit,meats, cheese, among others). Moreover, the ice bag can also be used forpackaging any type of product (e.g., non-food/beverage items), such asfor example, golf balls, tee-shirts, among other products.

In addition, while the hand-carry bag of the present invention isdescribed in terms of being transparent, one skilled in the art willappreciate that the bags can be or include translucent portions.Alternatively, portions or all of the ice bag can be tinted withcoloring that is attractive. The appearance of the transparent ortranslucent material also lends ice bags of the present invention an airof quality and permanence that enhances both the prestige of thecontents therein and the good feelings associated with displaying thecontents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood byconsidering the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a right, front, perspective view of an ice bag of the presentinvention for storing, transporting, displaying and chilling a beveragein a beverage container;

FIG. 2A is a top view of the hand-carry bag with the fasteners in anopen position in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a top view of the hand-carry bag with the fasteners in aclosed position in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a top view of the cylindrical hand-carry bag with thefasteners in an open position in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a top view of the cylindrical hand-carry bag with thefasteners in a closed position in accordance with the present invention;and

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of an ice bagof the present invention for carrying, displaying, chilling and servinga beverage in a beverage container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, hand-carry bag 100 of the present inventioncomprises outer bag 120 having inner container 150 dimensioned toreceive a beverage container such as a bottle of wine, and to formcavity 190 for receiving crushed ice or ice cubes to chill a beverage.Neither the beverage container nor the ice form any part of the presentinvention.

Outer bag 100 may be constructed any number of ways, including themethod described in the '318 publication. Alternatively, the bag may beconstructed of one continuous sheet of material folded and sealed in themanner of a canvas grocery bag. In both methods, however, it isimportant to note the requirement that the seams of the bag be sealedwater tight to preclude leakage of water as the crushed ice or ice cubesmelt.

If a cylindrical shape of outer bag 120 is desired, as shown in FIG. 5,again, it may be constructed in the same way described in the '318publication. Similarly, with continuing reference to FIG. 5, innercontainer 150 may be constructed in the same way as outer bag 155.However, while desirable, it is not necessary that inner container 150has a bottom separate from the bottom of the outer bag 120 or 155.

Since inner container 150 is provided to maintain the shaped integrityof the crushed ice or ice cubes disposed in cavity 190 for convenientreplacement of the beverage container after removal, it must be fixedlyattached to the bottom of outer bag 120 or 195. Thus, inner container150 could be a simple cylinder, sharing the bottom of outer bag 120 or155, by affixing lower rim 152 to outer bag bottom 122 or 157,respectively. Of course, for convenient cleaning or storage of the bagof the present invention, the inner container can be removably attached(not shown) to the bottom of the outer bag by any suitable fastener suchas a hook-and-loop fastener commercially known as Velcro® or anysuitable substitute therefor, such as snaps and the like.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 5, inner container 150 is preferablyconstructed of the same material as outer bags 120 and 155 forconvenient manufacturing. However, alternatively, it may be constructedof any other materials which are compatible with the material selectedfor outer bag 120 or 155.

Inner container 150 is also preferably water-impermeable, but notnecessarily required. Neither is it required that the affixation orattachment of lower rim 152 to outer bag bottom 122 or 157 be awater-impermeable seal. In use, it may be acceptable, even desirable, toallow melted ice water to migrate from cavity 190 into inner container150. Again, however, the materials used and construction of the wall ofinner container 150 must be sufficient to maintain the shaped integrityof the crushed ice or ice cubes in cavity 190 as they meet.

Alternatively, referring again to FIGS. 2 and 4, fasteners 160,comprising elements 162 and 164, may be disposed at the top of innercontainer 150 and the top of inner wall of outer bag 120 or 155 asshown, to assure and further retain the substantially non-collapsedstate of cavity 190 by detachably connecting the upper edge of the outersurface of the wall of inner container 150 to the inner surface of thewalls or wall of outer bag 120 or 155, respectively. Fasteners 160typically comprise a hook-and-loop fastener, commercially known asVelcro®, or any suitable substitute therefor, such as snaps, and thelike.

Although an exemplary description of the invention has been set forthabove to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use theinvention, that description should not be construed to limit theinvention, and various modifications and variations may be made to thedescription without departing from the scope of the invention, as willbe understood by those with ordinary skill in the art, and the scopethereof is determined by the claims that follow.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention applies to devices for storing, transporting,displaying and chilling a beverage, such as wine, in a beveragecontainer.

1. Apparatus for storing, transporting, chilling and displaying abeverage in a beverage container, said apparatus comprising: an outerbag having walls having an inner container for receiving the beveragecontainer; said inner container dimensioned to fit within the outer bagand to form a cavity between the outer bag and inner container forreceiving coolant for chilling said beverage.
 2. The apparatus of claim1 wherein the inner container retains the shaped integrity of saidcavity for chilling the beverage in the container.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the inner container and the outer bag include fastenersdisposed near the tops thereof for coupling the inner container to theouter bag.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the coolant is crushedice or ice cubes.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer bag isconstructed of water-impermeable material.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the inner bag is constructed of water-impermeable material. 7.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer bag is rectilinear.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer bag is cylindrical.
 9. Theapparatus of claim wherein the inner bag is cylindrical.
 10. Ahand-carry bag for storing, transporting, chilling and displaying abeverage in a beverage container, said apparatus comprising: an outerbag having semi-rigid walls; and an inner container having semi-rigidwalls, dimensioned to fit within the outer bag, to receive the beveragecontainer, and to form a cavity between the outer bag and innercontainer for receiving a sufficient quantity of crushed ice or icecubes for chilling the beverage.
 11. The hand-carry bag of claim 10wherein the walls of the outer bag and the inner container retain theshaped integrity of the cavity.
 12. The hand-carry bag of claim 11wherein the walls of the outer bag and the inner container areconstructed of a water-impermeable polymeric material.
 13. Thehand-carry bag of claim 12 wherein the outer bag and inner containerfurther include fasteners, disposed near the tops thereof, for retainingthe shaped integrity of the cavity.
 14. The hand-carry bag of claim 1wherein the inner container is affixed to the bottom of the outer bag.15. The hand-carry bag of claim 1 wherein the inner container isremovably affixed to the bottom of the outer bag.